08.01 - Water Meter Maintenance Fee Policy

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January 31, 2008 Mr. Tom Ryan Pequot Lakes City Council .Pequot Lakes, MN 56472 RE: Water Bill Dear Mr. Ryan: This is to confirm our recent telephone conversation regarding my water bill for the month of December. 2007. I live alone at 4440 East Woodman Street and my normal water bill has always been$34.16 each month. Two times since they installed a new water meter in my home,my water bill has been high for no reason. For the month of August. 2007, I supposedly used 3800 gallons of water, instead of the 1400- 1500 gallons I usually use. I contacted the Water Department and spoke with Tina. She thought it was a bit high and said she would try to look into it. I didn't hear from her and the month of September my bill was normal again. I wondered why the August bill was so much higher,but thought it was just a mistake and let it go. When I got my bill for December. 2007, I almost fell on the floor! It said I had used 7800 gallons of water and the bill was$100.86. I, again, called the Water Department and spoke with Tina. She came over to my home and we talked about it. She thought possibly I had a leak somewhere and suggested I put red food coloring in the back of my toilets to see if that might be a possibility. She left saying they would monitor my readings. As I said earlier, I live alone and work four full days each week. I do not wash clothes each week, nor do I use my dishwasher very often. There is no possible way I could use 7800 gallons of water. I decided to write down my water usage each day and nothing was out of line. Gary and Tina visited with mc and gave me a print out of my water usage from June_2007 to November. Other than August, my water usage per month was either 1400 or 1500 gallons. They were both very nice and said they had no idea why it spiked like it did. It is just a total mystery to them and me. In the January 10, 2008 Echo paper, the Don Ryan family of Nisswa flooded a 75 X 35 foot hockey rink with 2000 gallons of water. With what I supposedly used. I could have flooded almost four rinks of that size!! I don't mean to be a complainer,but I just don't understand how anyone could even think a single person, who isn't even home that much, could possibly use 7800 gallons of water in one month. I have spoken with some neighbors and their water bill is like mine normally is, $34.15. Is there anyway this bill could be adjusted?? Tina told me to pay my usual fee of$34.15 for the month of December and that is what I did. I appreciate any help you could give me in this matter and I also appreciate the time spent by Gary and Tina in trying to figure this out. �`'� Thank you for your time and I will be waiting to hear from you.